Current McLaren

Arguably one of the big teams in Formula One but lately they don't seem to be able to get the basics right.
Some of their strategy and decisions in the last few years has left more than a few observers scratching their heads.

Just a few for starters:

• Leaving Kimi out on a badly flat-spotted tyre, resulting in it exploding on the last lap.
• Leaving Hamilton out on tyres so badly worn they were down to the canvas; Bridgestone themselves demanded that McLaren bring him in and McLaren refused, keeping him out for a few more laps. That decision arguably cost Hamilton the first rookie WDC and is one which will haunt him and McLaren for the rest of their days.
• Not sending Button and Hamilton out to get banker laps in during Q1.
• Sending Hamilton out on used tyres in Q3, with rain forecast, meaning it would be impossible to set a fast lap time on his second attempt on new tyres.

Their major updates seem to send them further down the grid, instead of challenging for pole positions and wins. As the season progresses they tend to get worse before getting better, by which time it is generally too late.

It's often said of them "write them off at your peril", but is this necessarily true?

The last time they won the WCC was in 1998 and their last WDC was 2008, before that 1999.
Their days of regularly winning championships seem to be well and truly behind them.

It's all well and good coming up with reasons why they haven't won championships.
The fact remains though, they have won just one WDC in the last 12 years.

So where to now for McLaren?

(I wrote this in rather a hurry so I will flesh it out when I have more time.)

 

[Brogan]

Just saying if the stewards threw the book (max punishment, severity)

They gave the only penalty they could for a technical infringement, which is exclusion.

Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[F1ang-o]

Spygate, Liegate & this last gate, Lewis Hamilton was NOT at fault,.McLaren should know the rules or should have a team member....a rule specialist.
In yesterday's paper, Lewis was saying that they had gone over the pit stops in slo-mo, to pin point the problems.
MW said "Lewis didn't actually lose too much time; it was just a bit of tyre-to-tyre contact that briefly made the car jump into the air"

Hamilton's elapsed pitlane time was 22.1 sec, against Button's .20'3,21.5,20.2, but Lewis' second stop was much slicker at 19.1s

 

[Cookinflatsix]

First it was that the mistake was made by a fuel man, now if that was the case the final lap should have been aborted and LH starts 6th, then it comes out that the big mistake was in knowingly allowing the lap and leading to 24th place

My question is, in between those two positions what motivated picking the second option? As the team of all people should know those particular rules why pick the costlier option? Was it on the gamble that they would get away with breaking the rules or that the stewards would be lenient

 

[Porceliamone]

Whitmarsh has already stated that it was a mistake and that ultimately he made the wrong call...it's not that complicated

 

[The Pits]

But that is not being told two different things is it? One is an additional piece of information?

I do not think anyone will argue against it being a shocking decision by Whitmarsh, but in my opinion, that is where it ends, however much additional vilification you decide to pour on top.

 

[Brogan]

Why would the FIA penalise a team for a repeat offence as well as the offence itself?

The penalty is the penalty.

 

[Porceliamone]

It wasn't argued though. You're trying to add something into the mix that doesn't exist, except perhaps in your own head (fair enough). McLaren made a mistake. Whitmarsh made the wrong decision in the fraction of time he had to make it and the team got a heavy punishment for it. Lewis ultimately suffered for it the most from an individual point of view. Why does it have to be anything more than that!?

 

[ExtremeNinja]

It is not a repeat offence. The first time around, it was not an offence. The FIA re-clarified and bolstered the rule following the first incident that you talk of which then made it an offence, but not retrospectively.

Anyway, why are we still talking about this? I'm going to Monaco next week and that is much more interesting.

 

[The Pits]

ExtremeNinja I think that conversation belongs on the smug git thread

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Ha ha. Sorry, I didn't want to sound smug. Did I mention that I'm going to Monaco next week?

 

[The Artist.....]

Cookinflatsix

Of course Whitmarsh wants Hamilton to be the sixth winner of the season - as then no other team would get a win between now and Hamilton winning, as Button has ALREADY won this season! In other words, he's going to make sure everything's in place for the TEAM to win....

 

[The Artist.....]

"His team boss, though, has vowed to do all he can to right the wrongs, saying he will "make sure" everything is in place to help Hamilton become this season's sixth grand prix winner.....
We have won more Monacos than anyone else, we go there with the belief that we can win, but anyone who makes predictions in this sport at the moment would be nuts.
"It really is virtually impossible to make these predictions - five races in, five winners, five different constructors - and it could be after Monaco six races and six different winners. I hope not six constructors, I hope we can win that."

Of course he wants everything in place to help Hamilton, as this is also likely to help the team... Note how if you include the rest of the quote, we get endless mentions of "WE" Furthermore, if you actually bother to read my first post, of course Whitmarsh wants Hamilton to be the 6th winner - as there have already been 5 winners including Button...

We all know how you feel about Whitmarsh. When he praises Button, you use that as a stick to beat him with. Now when he praises Hamilton, you use that as a stick to beat him with. Just give it a rest will you!

 

[The Pits]

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere

http://sniffpetrol.com/2012/05/17/3998/

 

[Porceliamone]

Hahaha! That's brilliant

 

[racecub]

Very good. very good!

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/mclaren-adjustable-rear-brake-ducts/

How the adjustable brake ducts work.

 

[racecub]

First practise and I just heard Jenson saying he couldnt see out of the Mclaren very well after the latsest change which I think raised the nose. Doesnt bode too well around twisty Monaco. Ive not seen Lewis go out yet.

 

[F1ang-o]

racecub
A cushion or a booster seat?

FP1..Just heard the BBC commentator saying Lewis lost his pole position at the last race...wished they would get it right.... & say McLaren lost it for him.
Jaime Alguasuari replied that he thought the penalty was very harsh.

 

[The Pits]

I believe it was stated somewhere (maybe even on here) that they were doing some sightline tests for next years car, and should be ok. Also, I recall Jenson sayng that he had 2 seats, one higher than the other in order to address any visibility issues.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Well Button spent long enough in the pits in FP1, was that what they were doing?